Business & Economy

Freeway pushed Gaylord into an alpine village

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By HEATHER HARTMANN
Capital News Service

In Gaylord, the only place to get a hamburger during the 1960s was the Town Crest Restaurant. And it didn’t even have a drive-through. “When McDonald’s came to town, it was a big deal,” said Debbie Dunham, a long-time resident and Gaylord’s city assessor. She moved to the city an hour south of the Mackinac Bridge in 1968 at the age of 16. Coming from Flint with its multiple drive-in theaters and fast-food places, she felt a bit of a shock, she said.

Business & Economy

Grand Rapids firm blazes drone trail

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By HEATHER HARTMANN
Capital News Service
LANSING – Imagine pulling on a harness, latching yourself to a wire and zip-lining through the treetops while a flying camera captures your wild ride on video. Fun fact: This actually happens. Expertise in Aerial Imaging uses unmanned aerial vehicles – commonly known as drones – to capture video and photo images. The Grand Rapids business, known as EAI, has shot aerial perspectives of events as diverse as off-road street-car racing for Rally America and zip-liners careening through a forest of green for the Nantahala Outdoor Center in North Carolina. Showcasing high-end homes for real estate agents is also in the mix.

Environment

Pursuit of endangered species hooked on ethics, culture

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By HEATHER HARTMANN
Capital News Service
Though it is endangered, the lake sturgeon isn’t off the hook. You can still fish for it and even spear it through the ice. But the Michigan Department of Natural Resources has limited the fishing of the species to specific areas, rivers and lakes. These include Black Lake in Cheboygan County; Otsego Lake in Otsego County; Menominee River and Boundary Waters (Michigan-Wisconsin Boundary) and Lake St. Clair and the St.